County coroner asks for policy guidance as autopsy costs mount

Anne Hogsett, introduced on the agenda as the county coroner, told the commission she does not automatically send every unattended death for autopsy and that doing so would be expensive. "If I was confident that I knew what killed the person, I did not send for an autopsy unless there was a question of foul play," Hogsett said, explaining that families may opt to pay for autopsies and that transport and forensic costs are substantial.

Hogsett laid out specific cost figures for commissioners: transport is roughly $350 each way, autopsies commonly run $4,500, and an additional $500 is sometimes charged for obese decedents. Chair reported total autopsy expenditures for August as $12,375 and noted separate transportation invoices from Webb and Roderick of $1,825 and $2,150. Commissioners and staff discussed the public-safety value of autopsies when they can produce prosecutable evidence — Hogsett said she will order autopsies if they might support a murder charge tied to fentanyl or other criminal activity.

Several commissioners said they support allowing the coroner discretion but asked staff and law enforcement how costs and investigative needs can be coordinated so that the county is not routinely billed for low-probability forensic testing. Hogsett requested clearer written direction about when the county should fund autopsies and noted that KBI and local law enforcement sometimes request testing that she does not consider necessary absent other signs.